A Little Change of Heart
by Lady of Ithilien
Summary: Faramir Took and Goldilocks Gamgee had been best friends for as long as they could remember, and nothing in the world could change that. Nothing, that is, except the one thing they never saw coming... DISCONTINUED
1. Faraway Lands

Okay, this is my first LotR fan fic, so... be gentle. Constructive criticism is quite welcome, as long as I don't need a fire exstinguisher to read it. I've got the second chapter ready, and if by chance I get a review, I'll go ahead and post it (once I figure out how... :P ). Hope you enjoy!  
  
  
  
A Little Change of Heart  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Bag End, 1442 S.R.  
  
*~*~*  
  
"Do you really mean to stay in here until they've gone?"  
  
"I see no reason not to."  
  
Frodo Gamgee sighed and sat down next to his sister. "Goldilocks, dear, come to your senses." Ignoring the sour look he received from her, he went on, "They're going away for a *year*. And not just on some trip to Buckland, or even to Bree."  
  
Eleven-year-old Goldilocks scowled. "It's not fair! Why is it just Elanor who gets to go?"  
  
Frodo sighed again. "You've been told why. Elanor is older, she can take care of herself, which means Mother and Father don't have to spend so much time looking after her. Do you know how long it's been since they didn't have to worry about what their children were up to?"  
  
Goldilocks blew a strand of hair out of her face. Deep down, she knew her brother was right, but that knowledge did nothing to soothe her. Her upset did not even come entirely from Elanor being allowed to visit Gondor with their parents; it was the fact that Goldilocks would be without her mother and father for an entire year. Twelve whole months where she would not be able to help her father in the garden while hearing his songs from faraway lands, or listen to her mother softly humming baby Robin to sleep. She would even miss Elanor, more terribly than she would ever admit to herself, for her oldest sister was just as kind and gentle with Goldilocks and her siblings as their mother was.  
  
With this last thought came a knock on the door to the bedroom Goldilocks shared with her sister, Daisy. When neither Goldilocks or Frodo answered, the knock came again, no louder than before.  
  
Frodo sighed once more and called out, "Come in."  
  
The fair hair and face of Elanor Gamgee peeked into the room. "Goldi?" she called out softly.  
  
Goldilocks promptly drew her feet up onto the bed and whirled around so her back was to the door. She felt Frodo standing and heard him walk out the door. A few moments later, she heard the sound of the door closing, but knew that Elanor had not left out of it.  
  
"Goldilocks--" Elanor began.  
  
"I'd rather not speak with you at the moment," her sister cut her off, speaking in a tone she usually reserved for strangers she did not like the looks of.  
  
Elanor quickly crossed the room and joined her sister on the bed. "Oh, Goldilocks, please don't be angry with me! I'm not going to see or speak with you for a year, and I don't want my last memory of you to be a foul one!"  
  
"Well, I'm perfectly fine with it." A lie, of course, something that Goldilocks rarely spoke and was not very good at. But at that moment, she was too upset to care.  
  
"Goldilocks, please, I don't want--"  
  
Blinking back tears, Goldilocks interrupted her again. "I told you, I don't want to speak with you right now!"  
  
They were both spared by another knock on the door. Frustration beginning to mingle with the anger and sorrow she already felt, Goldilocks yelled out, "What now?!"  
  
The door cracked open, revealing the face of Samwise Gamgee. Goldilocks turned her gaze from the doorway so that she would not have to see her father's look of sadness.  
  
"Elanor," his soft voice called out. "Go outside and help your mother for a minute."  
  
"But father-"  
  
"It'll only take a minute," he insisted gently.  
  
When the door closed once more, Goldilocks felt her father sit down and place his hand on her shoulder. She bowed her head, suddenly ashamed of the remorse she felt. Much to her father's surprise, Goldilocks twisted around and embraced him, sobbing into his shoulder.  
  
"I'm so sorry, Daddy! It's just... it's just that I won't see you or mother or Elly for a whole year, and... And more than I wish I could go with you, I wish none of you were leaving for so long!"  
  
Sam stroked the golden curls his daughter had been named for. "I know, love. It's going to be difficult for us all. But I promise you this--" He pulled back so he could look her in the eye, and smiled. "I'll think on you every day."  
  
Goldilocks mirrored his smile. "I'll do the same for you, Father."  
  
Moments later, father and daughter had left the bedroom and were making their way to the main door when they heard voices in the sitting room.  
  
"You can't see her right now, Faramir." The first voice belonged to the younger Rose in the Gamgee family; Goldilocks couldn't help but smile at the sound of the second voice.  
  
"I will be sure to heed your commands, Rose Gamgee the Second, when you become a leading authority figure in this fine household. But just out of curiosity, what is so pressing that I can't see Goldi?"  
  
Tossing his daughter a wink, Sam spoke up as he entered the sitting room. "It's all right, Rosie. Master Faramir may have his friend back now."  
  
Faramir Took favored Sam with the impish grin he had inherited from his father. "Thank you kindly, Master Samwise."  
  
Just then, the elder Rose Gamgee rushed into the room, closely followed by a flustered Elanor.  
  
"I could have sworn I'd seen some in the cart, Mother; are you sure there weren't any?"  
  
"I checked everywhere, Elanor. Not a single eating utensil to be found."  
  
"Well, who was responsible for helping to pack the cooking equipment?"  
  
Looking strangely panicked, Goldilocks spoke hurridly to her friend. "Isn't that your father calling for you, Faramir?"  
  
His eyebrows furrowed, he replied, "I don't think--"  
  
"Yes it is," she interrupted quicky, grabbing his hand and pulling him out the door with her.  
  
When they were outside, Faramir grinned at his friend. "Goldilocks, have you been avoiding your responsibilities? Tut tut."  
  
She gave him as angry a look as she could manage. "Were I not so fond of this garden, I would push you into it."  
  
They glared at each other for as long as possible before simultaniously bursting into laughter. Goldilocks grabbed his hand again.  
  
"Come on, I want to say hello to Merry and your father!"  
  
"But I just spent a whole day with them!"  
  
Goldilocks giggled, ignoring her friend's protest. They found Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took sitting on the hill overlooking what had become known as the Party Field. Surrounding the two over-sized hobbits were the rest of Goldilocks's siblings, as well as Merry's two children, Lily and Boromir. Diamond Took and Estella Brandybuck weren't far from their husbands; Diamond was holding Goldilocks's youngest brother, Robin, now only two years old.  
  
Six-year-old Bilbo, who was sitting in Daisy's lap, reached out to tug on Pippin's sleeve. "How big is Minis Tirath, Uncle Pippin?"  
  
Goldilocks, who was seating herself on the grass beside Frodo, whispered loudly, "It's Minas Tirith, Bilbo."  
  
Bilbo scowled at his older sister. "That's what I said!"  
  
Pippin cleared his throat importantly. "Well, Bilbo my lad, compared to towns here in the Shire, Minis Tirath is a very big place indeed!" He then proceeded to describe the seven great stone walls, the glimmering White Tower, and lastly - the thing that had fascinated Goldilocks since she had first heard of it - the White Tree of Gondor.  
  
Goldilocks could not fight the longing sigh that escaped her lips at the thought of finally laying eyes on the White Tree in Minas Tirith. There were times during the preparations for her parents' trip when Goldilocks had half a mind to simply find herself a pony and follow them into Gondor. But the rational part of her knew she would never make it very far on her own. No, for now, she would simply have to deal with dreaming about distant lands and hope that she could see them for herself one day.  
  
As Goldilocks's mind wandered to far-off places, she became vaguely aware that she was being discussed.  
  
"...And then, of course, there's those hands she doesn't seem to enjoy washing..."  
  
Over their many years of friendship, Faramir had developed an annoying habit of teasing Goldilocks for her tendency to daydream. But this time, instead of giving Faramir her usual scowl, Goldilocks smiled and moved to sit next to him. She put her arm around his shoulders and said lightly, "Oh Faramir, you really are a foolish lad." With that, she gave him a hard shove, sending him tumbling down the hill.  
  
Amidst his yelps of pain, Goldilocks put her hands to her face in mock horror. She called down to him, "Oh dear! I'm terribly sorry, Faramir! You see, I have a problem with accidentally shoving others down hills..."  
  
As she spoke, Goldilocks did not notice Lily Brandybuck, who was quite fond of teasing both Faramir and Goldilocks, approach her from behind. After pretending to look around to make sure she was not being watched, Lily stretched out with her foot.  
  
Moments later, Faramir, who had been lying at the foot of the hill for about a minute, watched as Goldilocks landed in front of him.  
  
"Oh dear. I'm terribly sorry I couldn't help break your fall, Goldilocks. You see, I have a problem with not helping hobbits who shove me down hills..."  
  
Goldilocks felt around in the grass until she found a small twig, which she promptly chucked in Faramir's general direction.  
  
*~*~* 


	2. Stress and Tears at Dinner

*smacks forehead* Forgot a disclaimer in the first chapter, and since I don't want to edit it more than I have to...  
  
Disclaimer: Do you really think I'd be here if I owned this stuff? Nope, not mine, just the plot, which I doubt anyone would want. ;)  
  
I got reviews?! *gasp* *shock* *dies* :P  
  
Carolyn: Thank you!!! I'm told I write a lot of cute fan fiction; must be my calling. ;)  
  
monet: Thanks! Yeah, that was one of the things I wasn't satisfied with in the first chapter (it wasn't my best work, but definitely not my worst, thankfully). And for this and the first chapter, Goldilocks is 11, and Faramir is 12. And since I don't think most of the ages are mentioned in this chapter - Frodo - 19, Rosie - 17, Merry - 15, Pippin - 13, Goldilocks - 11, Hamfast - 10, Daisy - 9, Primrose - 7, Bilbo - 6, Ruby - 4, Robin - 2  
  
shirebound: Thank you thank you thank you! Yeah, I've also wondered that, and it just fit as a convenient beginning to this story, so I thought why not? ;)  
  
Herald7: *phew* BIG thank yous! I was so worried that I wasn't getting the hobbit characterization right, so I'm really glad you liked it!  
  
Cass: Thanks! "Hobbity", eh? Yipee! Again, I was really worried that I wasn't getting the hobbit feel right, so - VERY glad you liked it!  
  
*bounces* People actually like it! *distributes chocolate* Thank you all so much for reading! Okay, this next chapter I'm not entirely sure of... it's either horrible, or pretty good. :P I wanted to use this chapter as a way of showing how - in my opinion - the younger members of the Gamgee family must have acted around each other under stressful circumstances. After all, you've got a dozen kids, there *has* to be some tension there at times. ;)  
  
  
  
A Little Change of Heart  
  
Chapter 2 - Stress and Tears at Dinner  
  
*~*~*  
  
"Gently now, easy does it..."  
  
Goldilocks often murmured such things to herself when working in her father's garden, a place she took great care not to disturb with her trademark clumsiness. In fact, Goldilocks was the only one who didn't notice the almost graceful skill with which she tended the plantlife at Bag End, one of the many traits she had inherited from her father.  
  
Though Samwise insisted his children were much too fair to take after him in appearance, several of the Gamgee siblings shared his face and build, but none moreso than Goldilocks. She had her father's soft brown eyes and good-natured face (with a more feminine look, of course), as well as skin that had seen plenty of sunlight. But unlike her father, she had a slender figure, as did most of Sam's children (with the exception of Rose and Hamfast, who were a bit on the heavy side). Of course, the biggest difference between father and daughter were the golden tresses Goldilocks had been named for; it was rare in the Shire to begin with, and Elanor and Primrose were the only other Gamgee children with such a feature. Goldilocks was almost thankful to have such a distinguishing feature - anything that would let her stand apart from most of her many siblings made her quite happy.  
  
She was reminded of this somewhat comforting fact when a light breeze blew a lock of curly hair in front of her face. She was also reminded of Elanor, off in some faraway land that Goldilocks longed to see. Her thoughts went back to the morning Elanor and her parents had departed for Gondor, and her sister's words to her:  
  
"You'll see it one day, Goldi, I just know it." She had laughed, a clear, merry sound that Goldilocks had always loved to hear. "I doubt the king himself would be able to stop you in the end!"  
  
Just as Goldilocks's mind was beginning to wander to shining towers and white trees, Rosie came outside and informed her that dinner was ready. She reluctantly followed her sister inside and found that most of her family was already seated around the table. As Goldilocks took her seat, Rosie was counting faces. When Frodo came in with a plate in each hand, he spoke to Rosie.  
  
"Who's unaccounted for?"  
  
Rosie thought on it for a moment. "Merry, Pippin, and Bilbo."  
  
In the eleven months since their parents and Elanor had departed for Gondor, Frodo and Rosie had adjusted quite well to being in charge at Bag End. They both had started out the year being extremely flustered, especially after having to deal with their mischevious brother, Pippin. Their Aunt Marigold and Uncle Tom had spent many months at Bag End to help Frodo and Rosie with the management of their siblings; but now they barely had to stop by to check on things as Frodo and Rosie eventually settled themselves and the rest of the Gamgee children into a more or less orderly routine. Still, to make it to the last meal of the day without incident was considered a feat worthy of praise to the two elder children.  
  
Now it seemed that Rosie was desperately hoping that day would be a praise- worthy day. She went outside in search of her wayward brothers while the rest of the family settled into their evening meal.  
  
Frodo was making a show of his seemingly infinite patience while coaxing Robin into eating some vegetables when Rosie returned, dragging Merry and Pippin in by the ears. Bilbo was trotting behind, carrying what looked to be a sack full of pipeweed.  
  
"...time and time again, I've told you two, you're not to be in Father's pipeweed supply! And now, you drag poor little Bilbo into it?!"  
  
It was at Rosie's last accusation that Bilbo decided to speak up. "Didn't *want* to help them--"  
  
"No one asked you!" Rosie snapped at him over her shoulder.  
  
As Bilbo's bottom lip began to quiver, Rosie promptly released the ears she had been holding and rushed to embrace her little brother. "Oh, Bilbo! Don't you pay any attention to what I say! I've just been in such a horrid state lately!"  
  
While rubbing his sore ear, Pippin muttered under his breath, "It's only because of that lad you've been seeing in Bywater."  
  
Merry, who was also rubbing his ear, snorted. "That's not really an excuse to--" He froze for a moment, then looked sharply at Rosie. "Lad, what lad?"  
  
Rosie rolled her eyes as she carried Bilbo to his seat at the table. "Not that it's any of your business, but there's a young hobbit in Bywater who seemed to be attracted to me." She wrinkled her nose. "Apparently, I was mistaken." After putting away the bag of pipeweed that Bilbo had carried in, she turned to Pippin with furrorwed eyebrows. "And may I ask how you came across this information?"  
  
Not one, but four voices spoke the same name at the same time. "Primrose."  
  
Seven-year-old Primrose had slouched down in her chair as far as she could without being entirely under the table. Rosie moved to stand behind her sister, putting her hands on the young hobbit's shoulders.  
  
"Primrose, darling," Rosie said in a suspiciously sweet voice. "Do you remember that little talk we had about 'silence', and how it is sometimes a *good* thing? I know that may be difficult for you to grasp..."  
  
"Well, Rosie, you know how hard it is to keep secrets in this family, and, well, Daisy and I were talking, and she said something about you acting strange, and, well, I couldn't keep myself quiet for more than a second or two, but I really didn't mean to tell her, or Frodo, or Pippin, or Hamfast, or Aunt Marigold--"  
  
"Primrose!" her sister cried. "How many hobbits have you told?!"  
  
"Well, first there was Daisy, then Pippin, then Hamfast and Frodo at the same time, then Aunt Marigold and Unlce Tom at the same time, then Diamond and Estella not too long ago--"  
  
"Primrose!" Rosie cried out again. No one was surprised by the tears that were welling up in the extremely sensistive hobbit's eyes. "How *could* you?! You promised you wouldn't breathe a word of it to anyone!"  
  
Primrose was nearing a panicked state; no one liked being responsible for Rosie's tears. "I didn't mean to, and I didn't want to, it just sort of slipped, it was like I couldn't stop myself, and by the time I realized I needed to stop talking, it was already out! Please don't cry because of me, Rosie!"  
  
Pippin, who still looked a bit miffed from Rosie storming in on whatever scheme he had conjured up, scowled at his older sister. "I wouldn't worry, Prim. We all know those tears are just a pity ploy."  
  
More than one jaw dropped at that statement. Even Pippin was shocked by what had escaped his own mouth.  
  
There was a moment of stunned silence before Rosie burst into outright sobs. "It's not a pity ploy!"  
  
Merry whirled on Pippin, his eyes ablaze. "Now look what you've done!"  
  
Pippin winced. "I'm sorry, Rosie. I didn't mean to--"  
  
Rosie fought back her sobs long enough to get a reply out. "Just like you didn't mean to tell everyone about Drego?!"  
  
All eyes were now on Rosie. At least four voices cried out in amazement and disdain, "Drego Bracegirdle?!"  
  
Rosie turned to glare daggers at Pippin. He held up his hands in an almost defensive pose. "Don't look at me, you got yourself into that one!"  
  
In response, she put her head in her hands and proceeded to sob hysterically. Pippin threw his hands into the air in frustration.  
  
"Why is it that I can never say or do anything right?!"  
  
"Perhaps this is a sign that you should say and do less," Merry said, his voice filled with irritation.  
  
Pippin glared at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"  
  
Sighing, Frodo stood up. "All right, that's enough," he said as gently as possible. "Why don't we all just--"  
  
"No one asked you, Frodo!" Merry snapped.  
  
Frodo's eyes widened for a moment. He was obviously taking great pains to keep his face as neutral as possible. "Merry, I don't think you have any right to tell me when I can't speak, seeing as how *I* am the one who is in charge here. And I say you both need to calm down."  
  
Merry and Pippin declared in unison, "WE ARE CALM!"  
  
At their outburst, Robin, who was already on edge from Rosie's sobs, was startled into tears of his own. He dropped his spoon and let out wails that rivaled his sister's. Ruby, sitting next to Robin, had already been whimpering. At the sound of her brother's cries, she began to let out her own. Bilbo slid off of his chair and practically leaped into Daisy's lap, where he too began to cry.  
  
Frodo clenched his teeth and fists. When he spoke it was slowly, carefully, and to no one in particular. "Don't make me lose my patience."  
  
Daisy, who looked as though she had been fighting an outburst of her own, finally succumbed. "I wish Mum and Da were here!" She then buried her face in Bilbo's curls and sobbed.  
  
Frodo whirled around to glare at her with wild eyes. He didn't shout, but his voice was that of a hobbit on the edge. "Daisy! You're nine years old! Buck up and set an example, *please*!"  
  
Daisy gave him a nod that was more of a spasm and bit her lip to help fight back the sobs.  
  
"Oh, Frodo, leave them out of this!" Rosie pleaded with her brother from behind her hands.  
  
Pippin scowled at her again. "Why, so we can pay more attention to you?" She responded with yet another sob.  
  
As Merry launched into another verbal attack at his brothers, Primrose looked over at Hamfast and Goldilocks, who had stayed quiet throughout the entire exchange. "Should we say something? I think we ought to. I ought to, at least, since I was the one--"  
  
Hamfast held out a hand to silence her. "Just..." He sighed. "Just keep quiet and let them have at it."  
  
Daisy, looking fairly panicked, also spoke to Hamfast. "But what if they start throwing things?"  
  
"Then duck," he said wearily, putting his head in his hands.  
  
But his words were to no avail; Daisy, Primrose, and even Bilbo soon became involved in the argument, which went on for a good twenty minutes.  
  
"...Just because our parents favor you and Elanor and Frodo doesn't mean you can just--"  
  
Rosie had finally ceased her sobbing and was doing her best to defend herself. "They do not favor us! They simply enjoy the fact that *we*, unlike some of their children, know how to behave ourselves most of the time!"  
  
Hamfast couldn't hold his tongue any longer. "For some of us, misbehaving is the only way we'll get noticed."  
  
Frodo gave an exasperated sigh. "You're in a family with twelve children, do you really think it's easy for any of us to get noticed?"  
  
"Fine for you," Merry said to him. "You don't care if you're not noticed. And besides, I never asked to have so many siblings!"  
  
Hamfast rolled his eyes. "Well, I suppose we're just lucky to have such caring older brothers."  
  
Rubbing his temples, Frodo said, "I'm sure Elanor didn't ask for so many younger siblings, but she got them, and she puts up with us all. So why can't we just--"  
  
Pippin was the next to roll his eyes. "Could we *please* not bring Perfect Elanor into this?"  
  
Rosie, who was very close to her oldest sister, narrowed her eyes at Pippin. "What do you mean by that?"  
  
Pippin returned her glare. "You know exactly what I mean. In the eyes of our parents and the entire Shire, Elanor Gamgee can do no wrong." He snorted. "It's just like what Ham said. The rest of us aren't nearly so blessed as you, Elanor, and Frodo in looks, minds, and friendly dispositions."  
  
As Rosie and Frodo both began yelling at the same time, Goldilocks muttered under her breath, "Oh, for goodness sake..." She turned to look at Robin, sitting beside her, whose tears had finally subsided. "Do you think anyone will care if I leave?" When Robin yawned, she nodded. "Didn't think so." With that, she stood and, putting as much distance between herself and her warring siblings as possible, made her way to the front door.  
  
*~*~* 


	3. A Few Surprises

shirebound - Actually, no, just have one sister, but my cousins have some big families, so I've seen such things first hand. ;) And no, she didn't just marry Faramir to escape the family, but we'll get into that later...... ;) Thanks!!!  
  
Luth - Thanks so much! I also noticed the lack of post-RotK hobbit stories, and I'm glad I managed to pull off a fairly decent one for you folks!  
  
Leah Beth - Just wait 'til later. I think Faramir's going to be a really fun character to write... ;) Thanks!!  
  
Glewen - Like I told shirebound, no, but I've seen family squabbles outside my immediate family; glad I managed to capture what fun big familes can be (it's funny, I used to wish I had a big family, but after writing this I'm not so sure...). ;) I was really worried about keeping everything in hobbit character, since this is my first LotR fic, so I'm very glad you like it!  
  
Leah Beth - About Merry, Pippin, and Frodo's namesakes - yeah, that was both intentional and accidental. Some things about those three kids just fell in to place, so it was quite fun to go back and read how I had written them without meaning to. Thanks!  
  
Zebra Wallpaper - Thanks! Like I said, I have limited experience with sibling rivalries, especially now that my sister's gone, but it was actually quite easy to write. Heck, these kids practically write themselves (a good quality in characters ;) ).  
  
Disclaimer - Nope, not mine. And it'd be scary to think of what would happen if it was, so let's just move on, shall we?  
  
  
  
A Little Change of Heart  
  
Chapter 3 - A Few Surprises  
  
*~*~*  
  
When the door closed behind her and the angry voices inside Bag End could barely be heard, Goldilocks let out a long sigh of relief. It had been a long time since she'd witnessed an argument like that from her siblings, and it definitely wasn't something she ever wanted to see again.  
  
In a household with twelve children of varying ages and dispositions, disagreements and sibling rivalries were inevitable. Elanor and Frodo, being the most patient of the Gamgee children, were usually the ones to help their parents keep the peace at Bag End. And now, Goldilocks suspected her brother was feeling the strain of carrying this responsibility on his own. Rosie did her best to help him, but was more often than not unable to keep her head on straight while attempting to settle things between the arguing parties. Merry, the next oldest after Rosie, had never possessed the patience to handle such things, and Pippin was often involved in the argument and therefore not of much help. As for Goldilocks and Hamfast, the last family members of a reasonable age to deal with such things, they aided Frodo whenever they could; but being much more introverted than the rest of their siblings, they often chose to stay as far away from disputes as possible. Which was why Goldilocks had decided to make her escape that night.  
  
Not for the first time, she wished her good friend Faramir lived closer than Tuckborough; had he been with her at that moment, they would have simply laughed about her squabbling brothers and sisters. But far from laughing, all Goldilocks wanted to do was curl up on the cool grass and imagine her father was there, singing as he tended to the garden. Which was exactly what she did.  
  
*~*~*  
  
"Psst - Goldi! Wake up!"  
  
Goldilocks groaned and shoved away the small finger that was poking her in the shoulder. "Go away, Ruby." For a brief moment as she attempted to go back to sleep, she wondered why she was not in bed, or even inside. She opened one eye slightly, expecting to see the bright light of morning. Instead she found shadows cast by the candle her youngest sister held over her. It was then that she remembered the argument at dinner, and how she had gone outside only to fall asleep in the garden.  
  
Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she sat up slowly and spoke to Ruby, "How long have I been out here?"  
  
Ruby shrugged her little shoulders. "Dunno. But I think you should come inside now."  
  
Goldilocks glanced apprehensively towards the door. "Have they finished yelling, then?"  
  
Ruby grinned mischeviously and nodded. Before she could say anything in response, the door opened and a voice was heard from within.  
  
"Ruby? Ruby, where are you? Did you find her?"  
  
"Yes, over here!" she called as Goldilocks strained to see who the voice belonged to.  
  
"Well, good evening, sleepyhead!" this new hobbit said to Goldilocks, putting her hands on her hips. "We all knew you loved this garden, but I had no idea you loved it enough to move into it!"  
  
Goldilocks's eyes widened and her face broke into a grin. "Elanor!" She leaped up and ran into her sister's arms. "Oh Elly, it's so wonderful to see you!"  
  
Elanor returned her sister's grin. "And you as well. My, look how you've grown! I wonder what Frodo has been feeding you lot!"  
  
The mention of Frodo brought Goldilocks's mind back to when she'd last seen her siblings. "So, how long have you been here?"  
  
"Not very long," she replied. She smiled mischeviously, apparently aware of the question Goldilocks had really been asking. "But long enough."  
  
Goldilocks shifted her weight nervously. "Are they in a lot of trouble?"  
  
"Not really. I think Mother and Father were simply too tired for punishments." She smiled again. "Poor Father almost burst into tears when he came in to find his darling children arguing up a storm."  
  
"Where are they now?" Goldilocks inquired, eager to see her parents again after so long.  
  
"Inside, I suspect, making sure their troublesome family doesn't break any dishes." She tossed her sister a wink as she stood, picking up Ruby. "Come on, then. They've all been wondering where you'd gotten off to."  
  
Goldilocks followed her sister inside, where she had to slap her hand over her mouth to stop the giggle that wanted to escape at the site before her.  
  
It looked as though everyone who had been involved in the dispute had been put to work. Primrose could be seen sweeping the floors with a broom much taller than herself, while Daisy and Bilbo were nearby, one wiping a wet cloth and the other a dry one across the table. After Goldilocks walked in, the first thing she heard was a great sneeze; she looked around and saw Hamfast holding a duster and using it to frantically wave away a large cloud of dust he had apparently sweeped off the mantlepiece over the fireplace. Out of the fireplace stuck two legs that Goldilocks guessed belonged to Merry; coughing a sputtering could be heard inside, where she assumed her brother was sweeping off the soot. She was beginning to wonder where Pippin was when from far away she heard him give a yelp of pain, followed by a toddler's giggle. "Just get in the tub, would-- OW! Robin, you *bit* me!" Frodo and Rosie she also did not see, but from the sound of her older sister's grumblings, she suspected they were busy in the kitchen. And just off to the side of all this, Sam and Rose Gamgee sat in rocking chairs, wearing bemused expressions.  
  
Goldilocks grinned and rushed towards her parents. "Father, Mother!"  
  
Sam set down his pipe just in time to catch his daughter as she leaped into his arms. He laughed heartily and kissed her on the brow. "My, if you haven't grown ten times fairer than last I saw you!"  
  
Goldilocks blushed at this and hugged her father. "It's so wonderful to have you home!" She then leaned over as far as she could to embrace her mother. "We missed you all so much!" It was then that Goldilocks noticed the small bundle in her mother's arms. "What is--" She interrupted herself with a small gasp as the bundle wriggled, revealing a tiny hand.  
  
Rose smiled at her daughter and spoke softly, "Goldilocks, I'd like you to meet Tolman - your brother."  
  
Goldilocks grinned and reached out with her finger, allowing the little hand to grasp it. "'Lo, Tom," she whispered. "Welcome home."  
  
*~*~*  
  
Well, think about it - Sam and Rosie spent the year 1442 in Gondor, and their son Tolman was born that year... So I'm pretty sure that makes sense. :P  
  
Also, I'm not sure if Faramir would have lived in Tuckborough, but I figured since Pippin was the Thain by this time, they probably would've relocated there. But hey, if I'm wrong, which wouldn't be too far-fetched an idea, someone let me know. ;) 


	4. A Simple Glance

Leah Beth - Oh, good, so that wasn't just me going crazier. :P Thank you so much, I'm really glad you like it!  
  
Okay, those last two chapters were just to get some depth into Goldie's character (not sure if it worked, but I gave it my best shot :P ). Now, we're moving into the juice of the story. As always, hope you enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer - I own only what you don't recognize, which is very little. Everything else belongs to those fine folks at Tolkien Enterprises.  
  
  
  
A Little Change of Heart  
  
Chapter 4 - A Simple Glance  
  
*~*~*  
  
Hobbiton, 1448 S.R.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Spring was in full bloom in the Shire the day that Faramir went with his father and Merry, along with Merry's son Boromir, into Hobbiton. The two older hobbits were joviantly singing one of the many songs they had heard on their travels long ago, and while Faramir had heard the song so many times that he had it mostly memorized, he was content to merely hum along. Boromir remained silent, a strange state for the usually talkative Brandybuck. Faramir noticed this and edged his pony closer to Boromir.  
  
"You don't look very excited, Boromir," he commented.  
  
Boromir raised an eyebrow at the younger hobbit. "About being in Hobbiton?"  
  
"No, silly!" Faramir laughed. "Three days, remember? You're going to turn twenty in three days - instead of an irresponsible child, you get to be an irresponsible tweenager!"  
  
Boromir gave a lop-sided smile at this. "Why yes, I suppose that is a good thing. Makes me feel a bit old, though."  
  
"*You* feel old?" Merry and Pippin's song had ended and they were now staring at Boromir with mock astonishment. His father spoke to him again. "My lad, when you have two children who are tweenagers, then you can complain about old age. But for now, you just leave that to myself, the Thain, and our good mayor."  
  
Pippin grinned at this. "Oh, I think Mayor Samwise has felt old for much longer than you or I. I suspect he and Rosie have sprouted at least ten grey hairs for every child."  
  
"I know I certainly have," Merry replied with a small grin.  
  
"Come now, Father, give Lily and me the proper respect" Boromir said. "You know you have more than twenty grey hairs."  
  
Merry shot his son a foul look. "You've the wit of your mother. It is quite frustrating." He then grinned and laughed along with the others.  
  
As the four ponies neared Bag End, Faramir began to hear a soft, gentle voice singing some distance ahead of them. For a moment, he did not recognize the voice, but something about it enthralled him. He didn't even pay attention to the words being sung, content to simply lose himself in that sweet voice that grew steadily louder and clearer as they continued up New Row. He closed his eyes for a moment, forgetting his companions, one of whom was now staring at him strangely.  
  
Several minutes later, when the ponies had stopped right outside of Bag End, Faramir found that the singing voice was much closer than it had been. He opened his eyes, surveying his surroundings, and searching for the owner of that voice. When he found what he looked for, he inhaled sharply.  
  
She sat on the soft grass, her golden curls dancing in the light breeze that flowed through them. She had not changed since last Faramir had seen her, but there was something different about her, something he had never noticed before. In that one glance, it was as though Faramir saw Goldilocks Gamgee for the first time. In her, he saw beauty and grace and everything he could ever wish for.  
  
When Faramir realized what he was thinking, he gave his head a good shake to clear it. 'What is *wrong* with me? With the way my thoughts are going, it's as though I'm in love with--'  
  
He stopped in mid-thought. 'In love? With Goldie?'  
  
Faramir shook his head again, refusing to aknowledge what he had just been thinking. Instead, he dismounted his pony and looked up to find Merry smiling at him strangely.  
  
"What?" Faramir demanded.  
  
Merry's smile widened. "Nothing," he replied innocently, throwing a glance in Goldilocks's direction. Something about Merry's tone made Faramir's face redden, and he turned away from the older hobbit to find that Goldilocks had stopped singing and now stood with her father to greet the visitors.  
  
"Faramir!" she called, grinning broadly.  
  
Fighting down another blush, Faramir gave her a somewhat shaky smile. "Hello, Goldie!"  
  
She rushed over to embrace him, then grabbed his hand and began running towards the Party Field. "Come on, there's something I want to show you!"  
  
Faramir allowed himself to be lead down the hill and to the edge of the field, to where a small group of pale blue flowers were beginning to bloom.  
  
"Look!" she said exitedly, pointing to the cluster of flowers. Faramir stared at them blankly for a moment, doing his best to sort through his cluttered thoughts. Seeing the strange look he wore, Goldilocks inquired, "Don't you remember? We planted some seeds in this spot the last time you were here. And now look at them!"  
  
Recognition dawning on him, Faramir gave a small smile. "They're beautiful," he said softly.  
  
"I know," she replied, sitting down beside the tiny flowers. "I've been tending to them while you were gone, but they've only now begun to bloom." She reached out a finger and gently caressed one of the delicate petals. When Faramir sat down on the other side of the flowers, she spoke again. "I'm sorry you had to hear my singing just now. I'm afraid I have a bad habit of breaking into song while I work in the garden." She laughed. "Yet another gardening habit I picked up from the Gamgee side of the family."  
  
'Come to your senses, Faramir,' he thought to himself as she spoke. 'One glance isn't going to make you fall in love. Just keep your head on straight, and this'll pass soon enough.'  
  
Outloud, he said, "I didn't mind hearing you." Realizing his tone must have sounded strange to Goldilocks, judging by the look she now gave him, he cleared his throat and stretched out on the grass, putting his hands behind his head. "I've heard better, of course. From cows, and dying birds, and things of that nature..."  
  
Goldilocks gave him a look that was half scowl and half grin. She plucked a few blades of grass from the ground and sprinkled them over his face. Laughing, he pulled himself up and, being careful to avoid the flowers, tackled her. She let out a shriek that soon turned into a laugh, and they rolled around in the grass for quite some time before Goldilocks managed to gain the upper hand, pinning her friend to the ground.  
  
Faramir's laughter slowly died away as he stared up at Goldilocks. Her yellow curls, now sprinkled with blades of grass, brushed against his face. After reaching up to tuck a few strands behind her ears, he allowed his hand to linger on her face. He was about to speak when the voice of Elanor Gamgee called down, announcing dinner.  
  
Goldilocks grinned and stood, pulling Faramir up with her. "Come on, I suppose a healthy young Took such as yourself must be starving by now."  
  
Faramir returned her grin and allowed her to lead him away, all the while very much aware of the effect her voice had on him, and unsure of whether he would be able to release her hand later on.  
  
'Just keep your head on straight,' he repeated to himself. 'And this will pass soon enough.'  
  
*~*~* 


	5. Motherly Wisdom

shirebound - Thanks a bunch!  
  
Leah Beth - Heehee, thanks! I've noticed a lot of my fics make people go "awww". I'm hoping that's a good thing. :P  
  
Aldarwen - I'm going to assume I have talent with the cute stuff. ;) Yeah, I wish I could've made it go a bit slower, but I'm glad you liked it anyway!  
  
Artemis-chan - Thanks so much!!  
  
Madeleine541 - Thank you so much! I'm amazed at how well my characterizations of the hobbits are received because I've really worried about how I'm writing them. I'm very glad you like it!  
  
quatre - Actually, sometimes the dialogue just seems to write itself, especially with Faramir and Goldilocks. Thanks!!!  
  
Wow, I can't believe I've gotten so many great reviews for this story! Thank you all so much! Sorry this next chapter took so long - Darth Real Life pulled a sneak attack on me, so I didn't have much time to write for most of my stories. Hope I manage to make up for it with this chapter.  
  
A Little Change of Heart  
  
Chapter 5 - Motherly Wisdom  
  
*~*~*  
  
The Great Smials, 1449 S.R.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Faramir weaved his way in and out of the commotion of the Great Smials until he reached an abandoned corridor and opened the door that lead to the rooms granted only to his family. After he had closed the door, he sighed deeply and leaned against it for a moment. When he had been younger, the excitment of the Great Smials of Tuckborough had invigorated him. Getting attention at Crickhollow had not been much of a trial, but at the Smials, one young hobbit had to fight to be noticed, a challenge that Faramir would often leap at. But now, at nineteen, Faramir found himself longing for the cozy, comfortable life at Crickhollow, with only himself, his parents, Merry and Estella, and their two children. Life with the Brandybucks had not exactly been quiet, with Merry and Pippin's tendency to break into song, as well as Estella's habit of playfully teasing everyone within earshot; but everything at Crickhollow had been complacent and familiar, something the high populace of the Smials was lacking. Faramir now found that his only moments of peace in Tuckborough were when he was alone with his parents, and all else was quiet.  
  
He only hoped it wasn't a sign of maturity.  
  
Faramir set the apple core he had been nibbling on down on the nearby table and looked around the main room for signs of his parents. Seeing none, he called out, "Mum?"  
  
His mother's voice answered him from the master bedroom. "In here."  
  
He followed her voice into his parents' bedroom, where he found Diamond Took sitting in a rocking chair beside the fireplace, knitting. Faramir sat down opposite his mother in the chair his father usually used. He was silent for a moment, content to simply watch his mother as he collected his thoughts.  
  
It had been almost a year since Faramir had first noticed signs of his developing feelings for Goldilocks, and he had assumed those feelings would diminish as time wore on. Much to his dismay, the opposite had happened, and he was now frighteningly close to admitting to himself that he was indeed in love with his best friend. He now found himself in desperate need of advice, and in his eyes, no one knew about love better than his parents.  
  
For Pippin and Diamond, the road to marriage had been plagued from the start. They were met with disapproval from both sets of parents, especially from the Long Cleeve side. Though they loved their daughter, they felt she would make an unsuitable bride for the future Thain. Diamond had suffered a severe illness as a child which had stunted her growth and left her quite frail. No one expected Diamond would be able to bear children after such an illness, especially when it recurred from time to time; but Pippin had been relentless, and the couple eventually earned their parents' blessings. But that would not be the end of their hardships - though Diamond had managed to safely deliver her first child, her second, unexpected pregnancy did not end so well. She suffered a miscarriage, and though Faramir had been too young to remember much of the event, he knew it had almost torn his parents apart. But they emerged from the tragedy stronger and more in love than before, and it was but one of the reasons Faramir believed his parents could answer almost any question regarding love.  
  
Diamond seemed to sense her son's unease. "Something wrong, Faramir?" she asked in her soft voice.  
  
Faramir shifted in his seat. "Er, sort of..." Seeing the expectant look his mother wore, he continued. "See, there's this..."  
  
When his voiced trailed off, Diamond gave him a small smile and said, "A girl?"  
  
Somehow, Faramir wasn't surprised by what she said. "Yes," he mumbled, feeling his cheeks grow warm.  
  
Diamond chuckled softly. "My son finally has a girl problem. I don't know whether to feel excited or old."  
  
Faramir couldn't help but smile. "Well, I don't think it's anything to be excited about."  
  
"Old it is, then." She set aside the shirt she was knitting (she often had to make her husband's clothes) and looked up at her son again. "So tell me about this girl."  
  
Faramir suddenly felt quite awkward. He didn't want to reveal who the girl was, but he never liked lying to his mother. In the end, he decided it would be best to only say what was absolutely necessary. "Well, I've known her for a long time, but it was only recently that I began to feel something... different for her."  
  
Diamond nodded, as though that one statement had explained everything. "I see. You're confused about how this 'something different' could have entered into the situation."  
  
Shifting in the chair again, Faramir asked timidly, "It-- it must be some kind of mistake though, right? I mean, love doesn't happen in a matter of days, does it?"  
  
She shrugged and replied, "Love is different for everyone. It very well could hit you in a matter of days. Or perhaps it was something that was there all along, and you only now have begun to notice it."  
  
Faramir chewed on the collar of his shirt, something he did when thinking about something he didn't really understand. After a moment, he looked at his mother and asked, "Is that what happened with you and Dad?"  
  
Her eyes widened slightly at his question. "No, no it wasn't. We hadn't known each other for very long before we began courting. It was almost like... it was love at first sight, I think."  
  
Pulling the corner of his collar that he had been chewing on out of his mouth, Faramir spoke in what he hoped was a casual voice. "I suppose you wouldn't know what to do about it, then?"  
  
Diamond arched an eyebrow slightly. "Are you sure you don't want to tell her how you feel?"  
  
"No!" he said quickly and without thinking. As his mother raised both eyebrows, Faramir blushed and said, "No, I can't tell her. I don't want to make things... strange between us."  
  
Faramir thought he saw his mother's nose twitch, a common sign of annoyance from her. "In that case, I suppose the best thing would be to wait."  
  
Furrowing his brows, Faramir replied, "Wait? For what?"  
  
"A sign from her, a sign from someone else, a sign from your heart - anything that might let you know what you should do." Seeing the confused look he wore, she smiled gently. "You'll know when it happens, love. In the meantime, all you can do is continue to be yourself, and continue to be her friend."  
  
He nodded slowly, digesting what she had just said and hoping he could put it into practice later on. Moments later, as the realization was dawning on Faramir that his mother had somehow known the girl he spoke of to be his friend, he heard the door to the main room open and close quickly, followed by the voice of his father.  
  
"Diamond? Faramir?"  
  
"In here, Pip," Diamond called out.  
  
Pippin walked into the room, giving his son's hair an affectionate ruffle as he passed by, and went straight to his wife, bending down to kiss the top of her head. He then tilted her head back so he could kiss her firmly on the lips.  
  
When they parted, Diamond smiled at him. "Bad day?"  
  
"Terrible," he muttered, leaning in for another kiss.  
  
Fighting back a smile, Faramir sighed dramatically. "Very well. I can tell when I'm not wanted."  
  
His father called out to his retreating back, "Go make dinner."  
  
Faramir laughed loudly as he closed the door behind him.  
  
When Pippin had finished greeting his wife and was removing his scarf and jacket, Diamond spoke with barely-contained giddiness. "You're never going to believe what your son just asked me about."  
  
Pippin turned to face her, his eyebrows raised. "Oh?"  
  
Returning to the shirt she had been knitting, Diamond continued. "Apparently, Faramir has developed feelings for a certain girl."  
  
Pippin's eyes widened and he smiled. "Really! Well, who's the lucky lass?"  
  
Diamond's smile widened into a grin. "Oh, no one in particular."  
  
*~*~*  
  
*chases away the rabid plot bunny* No! I don't want to write a Pippin/Diamond story! Well, I kinda do, but that's beside the point!  
  
Err, anyway... I kind of changed gears there; everyone seemed to like the way I wrote the Gamgee family, so I thought I'd take a stab at writing the Took side. Hope you enjoyed. :) 


	6. Strange Happenings

Aldarwen - Ooh, thanks for pointing that out. I always get those two words mixed up. :P  
  
Thank you all so much for your reviews! I've always been a bit uncertain about this story, but your encouragement is very helpful! :)  
  
Very, very sorry this next chapter took so long. Hopefully now that school's out, I'll be able to post more regularly for it.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Chapter 6 - Strange Happenings  
  
Hobbiton, 1449 S.R.  
  
*~*~*  
  
When Goldilocks rushed into Bag End, she expected to find the hole empty. Instead, she saw her sister Elanor standing in front of the door, a surprised and panicked look on her face.  
  
"Goldilocks!" she exclaimed.  
  
"Elanor!" her sister returned. "What are you doing here?"  
  
Elanor definitely seemed a bit on-edge. "What are *you* doing here?"  
  
But Goldilocks was no longer looking at her sister. Her gaze was now on the young lad who sat in the kitchen and was looking almost as panicked as Elanor. "More importanly, what is *he* doing here?" she asked, a trace of amazement in her voice.  
  
"Er..." Elanor glanced back at the boy sitting at the kitchen table, who shrugged helplessly. Before Goldilocks could ask any more questions, Elanor was herding her outside.  
  
After the door had closed, Goldilocks narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "What is Fastred Fairbairn doing in our kitchen?"  
  
Elanor wrung her hands and fidgited awkwardly. Keeping her gaze fixed on her feet, she replied, "We were having some tea."  
  
"Together?" Goldilocks fought a smile. "What brought this about?"  
  
Pursing her lips, Elanor managed to look at her sister. "Though I don't see how it's any of your business, it just so happens that we've become friends as of late."  
  
Raising her eyebrows, Goldilocks responded, "You're not... you're not courting him, are you?"  
  
Looking away again, Elanor mumbled, "Not exactly..."  
  
"But you want to," her sister finished for her. Elanor merely nodded, her pale cheeks reddening. "Well," Goldilocks said, attempting to find the right words. "That is quite... unbelievable."  
  
Elanor glanced up ever so slightly. "Is it that hard to believe?"  
  
It took all of Goldilocks's willpower not to laugh. "Ellie, last I knew, you and Fastred hated each other. You thought he was coarse and unrefined, he thought you were, well, snobbish."  
  
A small smile came to Elanor's face. "I suppose we both discovered that we were wrong about each other."  
  
Goldilocks finally succumbed to the grin. "It certainly appears that way."  
  
Elanor's smile widened at this, but it slowly faded as she regarded her sister more carefully. "But what are you doing here?" she inquired for a second time.  
  
This time it was Goldilocks who fidgited. "Oh, you know, just wanted to get away from things for a while." Goldilocks had just come from the Party Field, where nearly all of Hobbiton, as well as Thain Peregrin and Master Meriadoc of Buckland and their families, were gathered to celebrate the birthday of Mayor Samwise Gamgee.  
  
But Elanor was by no means convinced. "Did something happen to you? You look flushed... "  
  
Goldilocks turned her now-wide eyes away from Elanor. "I... I was running."  
  
"From what?" A mischievious glint was now in Elanor's eyes. "Or rather, from whom?"  
  
"N- no one! I was just..."  
  
She never got the chance to finish. A realization seemed to have dawned on Elanor, for her eyes widened with surprise and joy. "Goldilocks Gamgee! I don't believe it! Who was it? Ooh, it had to have been Faramir... It was, wasn't it? Of course, it could only have been Faramir..."  
  
Goldilocks had the look of a rabbit being hunted. "Wh- what are you talking about, Ellie?"  
  
Elanor shook a playful finger at her sister. "Don't you try to feign ignorance with me, Goldilocks, I can see it all in your eyes." She put her hands behind her back, wearing a very self-satisfied smile. "You've just had your first kiss."  
  
Goldilocks gasped, her eyes wide with shock. "How did you-- er, I mean..."  
  
"Aha!" Elanor declared victoriously, pointing at Goldilocks accusingly. "It's too late, Goldie, you've given yourself away."  
  
Her cheeks now a bright red, Goldilocks said, "All right, all right, I'll admit it." Her voice lowered to a mumble. "Faramir kissed me."  
  
Much to Goldilocks's surprise, Elanor let out a delighted giggle. This was quite a change from the usually polite and reserved hobbit lass that Goldilocks had known. "I knew it! I just knew it would happen eventually. Rosie and Lily and I, we've all been waiting for something like this to happen." She took Goldilocks's hands eagerly. "Come, sit down, you have to tell me all about it."  
  
Goldilocks sat down, still wondering how this girl could have once been Elanor Gamgee. The thought of her younger sister receiving her first kiss seemed to have a strange effect on Elanor. Or perhaps Fastred had done something. Poisoned her, maybe. "Wait, Ellie-- you left Fastred in the kitchen. Don't you think you should check on him?"  
  
Elanor dismissed this with a wave of her hand as she sat down to join her sister. "Oh, he'll be fine. I was showing him Dad's book before you came in, and he seemed thoroughly engrossed. Now tell me - how did it happen?"  
  
Goldilocks took a deep breath. "Well, it started sometime during the party. Faramir and I had decided to leave the Field and go into the woods, to get away from everyone..."  
  
* * *  
  
"Faramir, look!" Goldilocks pointed at the ground excitedly. "Daisies!"  
  
As she sat down on the ground next to the small cluster of flowers, Faramir smiled and shook his head. "You and your flowers. What will you possibly do later on in life if you can't become a gardener?"  
  
"I suspect if worse comes to worse, I could always be a housewife," she replied, wrinkling her nose playfully.  
  
"Nonesense!" he said as he set himself down next to Goldilocks. "For that to happen, you'd need someone who wanted to marry you."  
  
Goldilocks swiped playfully at his arm, but he caught her wrist and pulled, sending her tumbling onto the grass. Faramir attempted to pin her to the ground, but in a display of surprising strength, she managed to shove him off and pin him instead.  
  
Her grin of triumph soon faded, however, when she was struck by the realization of how handsome her best friend had become. "Faramir..."  
  
Faramir's grin had also diminished, and he now regarded Goldilocks with that strange look, that look she was still unable to understand. "Hm?"  
  
"You look older," she said softly, and she wondered why it had taken her so long to notice.  
  
A small smile flickered across his face. "You're not so young anymore yourself."  
  
Before Goldilocks even knew what was happening, Faramir had gently pulled her face down to his until their lips met. And for those few seconds, all rational thoughts fled from Goldilocks's mind, leaving her free to know and feel only Faramir, his hand on her face, his lips on hers, the scent of him, the taste of him--  
  
Quite suddenly, and far too soon, reality came rushing back, and Faramir pulled away, his eyes wide. He sat up and stared at Goldilocks timidly, almost fearfully, seeming to brace himself for whatever she would say to him.  
  
"Faramir," she began, unsure of what she could possibly say.  
  
But she never got the chance to finish. Faramir stood suddenly, looking away from her. "I shouldn't have done that," he muttered before turning and walking off into the woods, leaving a very confused Goldilocks to wonder about what had just happened.  
  
* * *  
  
"So I decided to come here and think things over. I had to run because if I'd taken too long, I think I might've gone mad on the way back."  
  
Elanor regarded her sister thoughtfully for a moment. "Do you know what you're going to say to him?" she finally asked softly.  
  
Goldilocks sighed and shook her head. "What do you say to your best friend after something like that?" She looked hopefully at Elanor. "You're seeing someone, so I'm sure you know a bit about these things - do you know what I should do?"  
  
"I'm afraid not, Goldie," Elanor responded sadly. "Fastred and I hated each other, remember? It's a completely different situation. Why, you and Faramir have been best friends ever since he first waddled over to you and started petting your head when you were just a babe."  
  
Hugging her knees to her chest, Goldilocks sighed again and said, "I know. I suppose this is just one of those things I'll have to work out for myself."  
  
The silence that followed was eventually broken when the door opened and Fastred walked out to join them.  
  
"Elanor, I..." He simply stared at Elanor for a moment, wearing a rather silly grin. "I really like your hair like that, when it's not pulled back."  
  
Elanor returned the smile sheepishly. "Thank you."  
  
Off to the side, Goldilocks regarded the pair as they gazed at each other fondly. They were madly in love, that much was obvious. Goldilocks also realized at that moment that Elanor and Fastred looked very good together, looked like they belonged together, and she was suddenly struck with a very strange thought - did she and Faramir look that way?  
  
Goldilocks wanted to push the thought away, but then she began to wonder if it was really so far-fetched. Faramir knew her better than anyone; she trusted him and loved being around him, and she was saddest whenever he had to leave her. Of everyone Goldilocks had ever known, she thought about Faramir the most, missed him the most when he wasn't around. Could all of this add up to something more than friendship?  
  
'Maybe I really *have* gone mad.' Goldilocks scowled. This was all Faramir's fault. If only he hadn't kissed her...  
  
'And if only I hadn't enjoyed it so much...'  
  
*~*~* 


End file.
